Self-restoring trolley.



J. T. ANDREW. SELF RESTORIN G TROLLEY. APPLIOATION FILED APR. so. 190s.

91 2,055, Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

' 2 SHBETS-SHEBT 1.

@Hor/mugs l v J. T. ANDREW.

SELF BESTURING TROLLEY.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30,113.08l

912,055. y Patented Feb, 9, 1909.`

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@wi/memes UNITED STATES 4PATENT FFIOE.

JAMES T. ANDREW, OF MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA.

SELF-RESTORING TROLLEY.

lNo. 912,055.

To all rwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. ANDREW, a citizen of the United States,residing at Montgomery, in the county of Montgomery .and State ofAlabama, have invented cer* tain new and useful Improvements in Self-Itestoring Trolleys; and I do hereby declareV and dated December t,1906; and it consists in the novel combination and construction of partsmore fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification, in which like numerals refer to like parts in all theviews :F igure 1, is a side elevational view of my self restoringtrolley. Fig. 2, a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3, a perspectiveview of one of my restoring cams. Fig. et, a detached view of the sleeveon which the restoring parts are mounted. Fig. 5, a perspective detachedview of the contact spring, and Fig. 6, an elevational view, on a muchsmaller scale than that of the preceding figures, of a trolley poleprovided with my invention showing the guard wires.

1, represents the trolley pole; and 2, a pair of arms normally inclined,as shown, and adjustable up and down the pole proper. To the outer endsof these arms are attached the lower ends of the guard wires 3, and theupper ends of said wires are secured to the wings of the harp 4, as bestshown in Fig. 2. Passing through the upper extremity of the harp is anaxle 5, surrounded by two sleeves G, provided with the slots 9 and theanges 7, having the lugs 8. Pins 10 pass through the outer ends of theaxle 5, and secure the same to the harp, while the slots 9 in thesleeves G, receive said pins and allow for a longitudinal motion of saidsleeves on said axle. Secured to the harp is a pair of Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed. April 30, 1908.

loppositely disposed screw threads 22.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

Serial No. 430,150.

Contact springs 11, provided with holes 12 in their upper ends throughwhich the axle 5 may pass when changing the trolley wheels proper. Theupper end of these springs press against the outer ends of said sleevesG, as shown, and tend to force the same inward toward the trolley wheel13. On the inner end of each sleeve 6, is a seat 14, to receive a washer15, provided with slots 16, adapted to receive the lugs 8, whichpreferably terminate short of the extreme end of the sleeve, as shown.

The trolley wheel 13, is preferably provided with hubs 17, against whichthe washers 15 are normally pressed by the springs l1, when the partsare assembled, and thereby a continuous electric circuit is alwayssecured between said springs and said trolley wheel.

Electrically mounted on the sleeves 6 on each side of the trolley wheelare the cam disks 18, provided with suitable roughened or frictionsurfaces 19, extending partially around the same, as shown. These disksare also provided with the projecting lips 20, adapted to overlie therim of the trolley wheel, as best shown in Fig. 2, and for a purpose tobe presently disclosed.

On the outer sides of the cam disks 18, are also mounted on the sleeves6, the eccentric screw threaded cams 21, provided with the outwardly anddownwardly tapering and These cams 21, are provided on their outer edgeswith the flanges 23, as shown, which owing to the depth of the screwthreads at their bases, serve to catch the wire before it can leave thecam surfaces.

The operation of my self restoring trolley is as follows :vAll the partsbeing in metallic connection, current is conducted through the same downthe pole 1, so that no matter where the wire 25 strikes, a current isobtained through the motors, although the path above disclosed throughthe wheel 13, the washers 1l, axles 5 and springs 11, is preferable.Vhen the wire leaves the trolley wheel 13, for any cause, the upwardpressure of the pole will cause the same to contact on one of theindependently operating cams 18 or 21. Tf it strikes one of the cams 18,its roughened surface 19 will immediately cause the same to rotate, andthereby cause the inclined surface 26 to rise above the rim of the wheel13, as best shown in Fig. 2,

whereupon the wire 25 will slide down the incline 26, and be deliveredto the trolley wheel. Vhile in this position the incline 20 overlies therim of the trolley wheel, as shown, and insures the safe placing of thewire in the groove of the said Wheel. Should the wire strike one or theother of the screw threaded cam disks 21, the same will likewise turn onthe sleeve 6, thereby lifting the wire above the cam disk 17 while thescrew threads 22 will cause the wire to be translated back onto the saiddisk, when the latter will in turn lift the wire above the wheel 13 anddeliver it into the groove of said wheel, as above described. After thewire has been returned by either of the above operations, the disks 18and 21 automatically return to their normal positions shown on the righthand side of Fig. 2, owing to the preponderance of the weights below theaxis 5; and they are therefore at all times ready for use. When thetrolley wheel reaches a switch or turn out, and should it leave the wireand tend to rise or be caught in the angle of the V of such switch orturn out, the inclined guard wires 3 will immediately strike the sidesof said V and cause the trolley wheel to duck and thereby be thrown outof the same. In other words, these guard wires 3 will prevent the harp,or wheels, from being ammed in the faces of switches and likeconstructions. It will thus be seen that my construction does away withall springs for returning the cams; that all the parts are simple inconstruction and operation; and that the cam disks can be readily cast.Furthermore, ,my longitudinally sliding sleeves 6, and washers 15, serveunder the influence of the springs 11, to keep the trolley wheel 13 inits central position at the middle of the axis 5; while the collars 7regulate the distance from, and prevent the cam disks jamming saidwheel. The lugs 8 on the collars 7 prevent the washers from turning withsaid wheel, and thereby insure a rubbing contact. In other words, thisportion of my construction insures at all times a continuous metallicconnection between the wheel 13 and the springs 11, thereby lessens thetendency to spark between the parts, and consequently lessens the rapiddeterioration to which corresponding parts are subjected at present.Furthermore, these sleeves serve as a sort of bushing for the cam disksand-protect the axle from wear, and therefore from such sparking asusually arises from such wear.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a trolley, thecombination of a trolley wheel; an axle on which the same is mounted; apair of longitudinally movable sleeves on said axle, provided withwashers adapted to contact with said wheel, a pair of cam disks on saidsleeve on each side of the wheel and springs adapted to keep saidwashers in contact with said wheel, substantially as described.

2. In a trolley, the combination of a trolley wheel; an axle on whichthe same is mounted; a pair of longitudinally movable sleeves, providedwith washers adapted to contact with said wheel; means on said sleevesfor preventing said washers from turning; means to prevent said sleevesfrom turning; and springs adapted to keep said washers in contact withsaid wheel, substantially as described.

3. In a trolley, the combination of a trolley wheel; an axle on whichthe same is mounted; a pair of longitudinally movable sleeves providedwith slots at one end, and wit-h collars and lugs at the other end; pinspassing through said axle and slots, to prevent said sleeves fromturning; washers on said sleeves receiving said lugs and adapted tocontact with said wheel; and springs for forcing said sleeves towardsaid wheel, substantially as described.

4. In a trolley, the combination of a trolley wheel; an axle on whichthe same is mounted; a pair of longitudinally movable sleeves providedwith slots at one end, and with collars and lugs at the other end; pinspassing through said axle and slots to pre- 95 vent said sleeves fromturning; a pair of independent cam disks loosely mounted on each sleeve;washers on said sleeves receiving said lugs and. adapted to contact withsaid wheel; and springs for forcing said sleeves toward said wheel,substantially as described.

5. In a trolley, the combination of a trolley wheel; an axle on whichthe same is mounted; a pair of longitudinally movable sleeves providedwith washers adapted to cont-act with said wheel; a pair of independentcam disks on each side of said Wheel mounted on said sleeves; means onsaid sleeves for preventing said washers from turning; means to preventsaid sleeves from turning; and springs adapted to kee said washers incontact with said whee, substantially as described.

6. In a trolley, the combination of a trolley wheel; an axle on whichthe same is mounted; a pair of longitudinally movable sleeves providedwith slots at one end, and with collars and lugs at the other end; apair of independent cam disks on each side of said wheel mounted on saidsleeves; pins passing through said axle and slots to prevent saidsleeves from turning; washers on said sleeves receiving said lugs andadapted to contact with said wheel; and springs for forcing said sleevestoward said wheel, substantially as described.

7 In a trolley, the combination of a trol- Y ley wheel; an axle on whichthe same is mounted; a pair of longitudinally movable sleeves providedwith slots at one end, and l said Wheel; and springs for forcing said l0With collars and lugs at the other end; a sleeves toward said Wheel,substantially as pair of independent cam disks on each side described.

of said Wheel mounted on said sleeves; pins In testimony whereof, Iaffix my signapassing through said aXle and slots to preture, inpresence of two Witnesses.

vent said sleeves from turning; a pair of JAMES T. ANDREV. independentcam disks loosely mounted on VitnesseS:

each sleeve; Washers on said sleeves reeeiv- WV. MAX. DUVALL,

ing said lugs and adapted to Contact With GEO. A. BYRNE.

